Whifeleteee



I. KREBS.

Whiffletree.

Patented May 22, 1855 AM.PHOTD-LITHO. 1:0.NX (OSBORNES PROCESS) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ISAAC KREBS, OF WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

WI-IIFFLETREE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 12,911, dated May 22, 1855.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC lines, of Timchester, in the county of Frederick and State of Virginia, have invented and made certain new and useful Improvements in Swingle or Whifiie Trees for Disengaging Horses from Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the method of construction and mode of operating the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a diagram of the detachable whiffle tree a a, a, a, showing the horizontal bolts, or trace, or tug holders, 5, b, b, I), closed, or as presented when the tracing is connected or fastened therewith; c, o, the

triple pivot, or fulcrum lever, attached to' the rods 6, b, by the staple or fork standard, or holder (Z; c, e, the flexible spring. f, f, are the end, clevis clips, or tug ends to the tree. 9, g, are the end ferrules or bands. h, is the pull by or attaching clip. 2', z, are guide staples to the bolts 19, b, b, b. j, the lower part or connection end of clip. is the eye or thong ring to the lever c, 0. m, m the thong of sllp cord. at the handle or holder.

Fig. 2, shows the whifiie tree and the position of the rods or bolts, 5, b, and the lever 0, 0, when the tracing or tugs are detached.

In order to enable others to construct and use my improved disengaging whiflle tree, shown in the drawings, I will herewith describe the construction thereof which consists first of using a whiffle or single tree, of

wood or metal in form similar to those used ordinarily, to the ends of which I attach clevis like staples, or tug holders, 7, f, and rivetor screw the ends thereof on permanently, and in addition thereto I attach thin metal bands or ferrules, g, 9. These clevis like clips, or tug holders, may be merely large enough to admit of the trace ends to pass in and out freely. Next a groove or depression is formed longitudinally on the back part of the tree, in the middle, or nearly midway of the ends of the tree, into which is inserted and attached by one end a flexible spring, four or five inches long, as at e, e. Next a forked staple device or equivalent standard device or holder, 03, is formed and may be attached to the back part of the tree either in the center, midway between each end, of the tree, or two or three inches to the right or left of the center of the tree. Next a lever of about six or eight inches long, by about half an inch wide, and one fourth of an inch thick, and tapering toward one end, which is turned up in form of a hook or having a ring, to which may be attached a thong slip cord. The broad or butt end of this lever, has three holes punched through it at equal distances about an inch apart, and longitudinally of the length of the lever. The center or middle hole, of the lever, is'for the attachment to the staple or standard d, by bolt or pin or rivet. Next two rods, or small bars, of rod iron or stout wire, of suflicient length, and of about one fourth of an inch, or more in diameter, one end of each of the said rods being split or formed with a fork, the splits of which are to be punched with pin or rivet holes, and the said rods are attached, each to one of the holes of the lever, c, 0. rods must be attached so as to work or play sufficiently on the lever. are used as the tug or trace bolts, or fastenings, and are kept in their places by small staples or equivalents 2', 2', driven into the back part of the whifile tree, and answer also as guides or rests for the brace fastening rod; one or more of the staples or guides may be used to each rod.

In the application of my whifiie tree to vehicles, all that is essential is to form a bolt or linch pin hole, through the center of the top of the tree and use a pull by connection clip h, j, to attach the tree to the cross bar, or heel rail of the shafts of single horse Vehicles; and when double harness are to be used, it is only requisite to apply two of my whiflie tree. The levers c, 0, working right and left, as may best suit, and then in order to connect and operate the two levers by one common operation, a thong or slip cord, or its equivalent, may connect from one lever to the other and may be arranged to pass up under, and through the foot or bottom part of the dash board, or front of the vehicle for greater convenience, when attached to carriages or light vehicles. For wagons, carts and other heavy vehicles, the pull string or slip thong m, m, may be used in any convenient manner.

The operation of my whifi le tree is as follows. When it becomes necessary to disengage fractious or unruly and runaway horses, all that is necessary to be done is to pull the slip thong m, m, m, by the holder 11., the lever a, a, being attached to the sliding bolts, or tug or trace rods, 6, b, b, 7), causes These The said rods the rods to draw inward toward the center of the tree, and as they draw inward simultaneously, the tugs, 0r traces become detached, and the fractious animal is most readily disengaged. The rods are kept back in their required position by-the action of the spring (2, e, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the traces are to be attached the lever 0, c is thrown back, parallel with, and against the rod, and is kept in its place by the pressure of the spring 0, e, and when the traces or tugs are attached the rods Z), 6, b, b, are distended, as in Fig. 1.

The advantages of my form of constructing, and my mode of operating whifiie trees for the disengaging of unruly animals from vehicles, are simplicity of construction, durability, cheapness, and effectual action; together with'the least liability to get out of order.

In the description of my improved whiiile tree, I do not wish to be understood as setting up any claim to the construction of the usual form of a whiflle tree, nor of any of the devices used separated and apart from each other, being well aware that many devices, forming a whiffle tree for the disengaging of animals from vehicles, have been continuous sliding bolts, or trace fastening rods 6, Z), Z), Z), communicating directly with, and attached to one single and the same lever, together with the staple cl, one single flexible spring 6, e, clevis clips f, f, in combination, and through all of which, are actuated, and retained in position, simultaneously, at one and the same time,'the continuous sliding bolts 6, b, substantially in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and as described, for the purpose set forth.

ISAAC KREB S. [L. s]

Witnesses:

JOHN L. SMITH, P. B. BELL. 

